Former broadcaster linked with safe Richmond seat to be vacated by William Hague

FORMER TV presenter Selina Scott has been approached by top Tories to put her name forward for a North Yorkshire conservative seat, according to close friends.

Roderick Gilchrist, a long time friend and media advisor to the former broadcaster, confirmed she has been asked .

North Yorkshire born Ms Scott, 63, is currently out of the country, but it’s believed she plans to reveal her decision in the next few days.

She set up Selina Scott's Socks in Malton last year and took a leading role in fighting plans for a new Tesco store in the town, where her late father was editor of the local paper.

Mr Gilchrist who says he has known Ms Scott for 35 years said: ”People have been putting out feelers to Selina, influential and powerful people, with a view to seeing if she would put herself forward, particularly for Thirsk and Malton.

“She is in the position of deciding whether she wants to put her name forward or not."

Ms Scott, is the latest high profile name to be thrown into the ring in the frantic search for potential MPs for the Thirsk and Malton constituency and the newly available neighbouring seat of Richmond, which is being vacated by William Hague MP. London mayor Boris Johnson’s name has already been mentioned.

in Richmond, local conservative association chairwoman Wendy Morton has also been tipped to fill the former Foreign Secretary's shoes.

Ms Scott was born in Scarborough and was educated at the Lawrence Jackson School in Guisborough, where she was head girl.

She had a long broadcasting career as a former anchor of ITN’s nightly news as well as helping to launch BBC’s Breakfast Television.

She has been involved in several high profile campaigns including an age discrimination claim against channel five which was settled out of court in 2008.

Thirsk and Malton MP Anne McIntosh who won the seat with a conservative majority of 11,000 at the last election, was deselected after concerns over a “clash of personalities” with local activists.

The Richmond constituency has a 23,000 conservative majority, the highest in the country at the last election, and is seen as a prize seat for potential candidates.

Ron Kirk, Deputy Chair of the Richmond Conservative Association said adverts for the Richmond seat were not even going out until August.

He said: “We certainly have no names in the frame. There is bound to be a lot of speculation and names are going to appear for a variety of reasons, but no approaches have been made by officers here.”

No one could be contacted from the Thirsk and Malton Conservative Association.